This invention relates to electrostatic copiers, and in particular to toner removing apparatus used in such copiers.
Since electrostatic copiers are known per se, their construction and operation require no detailed description. For purposes of the present invention it is sufficient to point out that in such copiers an image is formed on the electrostatically charged photoconductive surface of a carrier, by applying toner particles to the electrostatic image pattern to which they adhere. The image is then transferred to an image carrier, e.g. a copy sheet. However, after the transfer some residual toner particles will continue to adhere to the photoconductive surface and these must be removed before the next image pattern is formed on the surface. If they are allowed to remain their presence will result in smeared or otherwise unsatisfactory images during the succeeding operations of the copier.
Various proposals have been made for apparatus to remove these residual toner particles. One of these proposals, disclosed in German Offenlegungsschrift No. 2,239,441, suggests the use of a rotating member to entrain particles which have been stripped from the photoconductive surface, and to transport these particles into a storage space. Between the wall of the chamber and the rotating member there is a gap through which the toner particles can escape. Also, due to the presence of this gap the chamber is not sealed relative to the area in which particles are stripped from the photoconductive surface, so that particles can migrate from the chamber back into this area. Since the toner particles are in effect shovelled into the chamber and no toner compacting takes place therein, they are only loosely received therein so that the chamber is rapidly filled.